A selection of good-value and free half-term days out in the Midlands and the
East of England, from stately homes to nature trails.

Alton Towers, Staffordshire (0871 222 9853; www.altontowers.com) General admission two-day ticket at the gate: adults £17 (£13.50 through lastminute.com); children (under 12) £9.50 (or £7.50 with lastminute.com). From 10am-4.30pm, until February 22, you can get a preview of some of the resort's family attractions before the main season begins. Take a trip around the treetops on Squirrel Nutty, get behind the wheel of a Tractor in Old MacDonald's Farmyard before holding tight on the Runaway Mine Train or braving the twists of Nemesis.

Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire (01527 831363; www.avoncroft.org.uk) Adults £6.60; children £3; under 5s free; family £16.50. Half-term fun at the open-air museum of historic buildings has a pirate theme with craft activities (make your own ship and skull and crossbones) and the chance to discover what it was like on a gun deck; suitable for children aged 3-plus; adults £3; children £6; under 2s free; booking advisable. February 17-19.

BeWILDerwood, Wroxham, Norwich (01603 783900; www.bewilderwood.co.uk) Adults £8.50; children £6; infants free. The tree-house adventure park reopens this weekend, 10am-4.30pm. Throughout the week everyone can make Boggle Wishes by the Fire – place your wishes in a pine cone and watch it burn on the bonfire. Magical tree houses, zip wires and Toddlewood area for the under 5s.

Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich (01473 433554; www.ipswich.gov.uk). Free admission. From tomorrow until Wednesday the town's grand Christchurch Mansion allows children to paint their own plate, mug or vase, inspired by the exhibits in the celebrated China Room. An artist will be on hand to help out and you can take your work home. The cost is £1.50 per person.

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Colchester Zoo, Colchester (01206 331292; www.colchester-zoo.co.uk) Adults £14.99; children £7.99; under 3s free. Half term sees the launch of celebrations at Colchester Zoo to commemorate Darwin's 200th birthday. Activities include a trail around the zoo and a themed area within the new Discovery Centre. As well as bug handling, new species exhibits and craft facilities, discover more about Darwin's ideas.

Eckington Manor Cookery School, Eckington, Worcestershire (01386 751600; www.eckingtonmanor.co.uk) The cookery school still has a few places on its children's courses on February 18 and 19. The courses cost £40 per child and run from 10am-noon.

Northampton Museum & Art Gallery, Northampton (01604 838111; www.northampton.gov.uk) Admission, free. Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm, Sun, 2pm-5pm. An afternoon looking at shoes might not be everyone's idea of fun but with more than 12,000 items, the museum has the biggest and best collection of historic shoes in the country: it's so good it has been awarded Designated Status. You can always pack non-shoe-fans in the family off to the Archaeology or Military Collection.

Wimpole Hall and Home Farm, Royston, Cambridgeshire (01223 206000; www.wimpole.org) Adults £7.30; children £4.95; family £22.50. The farm is a working one, home to rare breeds of sheep, cattle, pigs, poultry, horses and goats. For budding farmers, there's an open-air presentation on "The year in the life of a suckler cow" at noon every Saturday and Sunday in February; and from February 16-19, 11.30am-3.30pm, children are invited to "create chaos" on a Fun on the Farm day out.